Shirt collar



July 31, 1962 A. l. BELLANTI SHIRT COLLAR Filed June 23, 1958 INVENTOR.

BY Awfzow l 54hr A Iforncy 3,046,562 SHIRT COLLAR Anthony H. Bellanti,2084 N. Summit Ave, Milwaukee 2, Wis. Filed June 23, 1958, Ser. No.743,669 1 Claim. (Cl. 2132) This invention relates generally to shirtcollars and more particularly to an improved shirt collar having aremovable stiffener member for maintaining the shape of the collar.

Mens dress shirts with attached soft collars have been accepted,practically to the exclusion of other types of dress shirts, becausethey are comfortable to the wearer. A disadvantage of this type of shirtlies in the fact that the shoft collar fails to maintain its shape sinceit curls and wrinkles after a relatively short period of use despite thefact that they may be starched to stiffen them. Various types of stayshave been devised for attachment to the collar to alleviate thisproblem. However, they are not entirely adequate because they areapplied to the two ends of the collar and are not adequately supportedthemselves to prevent the collar from curling outwardly while failing toextend sufiiciently along the collar to avoid wrinkling along the sidesof the wearers neck. Furthermore, such stays are of a relatively narrowwidth, and as the rearward portion'of the collar begins to wilt thepresence of the stays at the extremities of the collar becomes apparent.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide ashirt collar with an improved arrangement for maintaining its neatappearance even after prolonged use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shirt collarwith stiffener members that function to maintain a neat appearancethrough the entire length of the collar. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shirt collarwith stiffener members that are retained in position by the conventionalcollar elements without requiring additional pockets or pins thatpuncture the material of the collar.

Another object is to provide a shirt collar with stiffener members thatretain the lapel portion of the collar fiat against the shirt.

Another object is to provide a shirt collar with stiffener members thatare firmly supported by the neck band of the collar to improve theirefficiency in maintaining the neat appearance of the lapel portion ofthe collar.

Another object is to provide a shirt collar with im-. proved stiffenermembers which will not be outlined by the material of the collar so thattheir presence will not be noticeable along the exterior of the collar.

A further object is to provide an improved shirt collar with stiffenermembers of simple and inexpensive construction but which willefiiciently maintain a neat appearance even under severe conditions ofwear.

According to this invention the improved shirt collar comprises theconventional neck band and lapel portion formed of two plies of clothwith the inner ply serving as a lining for the collar, the two pliesbeing sewed together about the edges of the collar. The lapel portion isfolded downwardly over the neck band to form a crease at the juncture ofthe neck band and the lapel. slit at the crease from both ends of thecollar toward the center of the collar or toward the back of the wearersneck to provide an opening for admitting a stiffener member at each endof the collar; The stiffener members are disposed between the two pliesof cloth and each likewise includes a neck band portion and alapelportion. Thelapel portion of each stiffener is folded over the neckband'portion in overlying relationship toforrn a crease at the junctionof the neck band portion and the lapel portion with the material of thestiffener being The lining is:

3,046,562 Patented July 31, 1962 stressed to maintain the lapel portionflat against the neck band portion.

The lapel portion of the stiffeners are. inserted to lie. between thetwo plies of cloth at each end of the lapel of the collar and is shapedto conform to the configuration of the collar so that it serves as asupport to maintain the shape of the collar. The lapel portion of thestiifeners extend rearwardly from the extremities of the collarapproximately twenty-five percent of the length of the collar so thatabout fifty percent ofthe collar is supported by the stilfeners alongthe area which is subject to wilting after use. The neck band portion ofthe stiffeners are inserted between the two plies of cloth at the neckband of the collar to support the stiifeners in the collar and tomaintain the lapel portion of the collar flat against the neck band ofthe collar in overlying relationship to maintaining the neat appearanceof the collar even under severe conditions of use.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, which will become moreapparent from the following detailed specification setting forth anillustrative embodiment, may

being shown in its unfolded position to illustrate its in-'terior'surface with the lining being broken away to reveal the outer plyof cloth; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the stiffener member in the unfoldedposition and which is shown in FIG- URE I inserted between the two pliesof cloth at both ends of the collar.

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings and specificallyto FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof which illustrate a shirt collar incorporatingthe features of the pres-' ent invention. In the illustrated embodimentthe collar is shown attached to a shirt 11 and comprises a neck band. 12and a lapel portion 13 with the neck band 12 being sewed to'the shirt 11for permanent attachment thereto.

The neck band 12 is worn against the neck of the wearer and is thereforefirmly supported while the lapel 13 is folded downwardly to form acrease 14, the lapel 1 3'being the decorative portion of the collarwhich is exposed to view and must be neatly maintained. In orderto'present the proper appearance, the lapel 13 must be' 7 kept free ofwrinkles and must lie flat against the neck band 12 and shirt 11. Thelapel 13 is substantially wider than the neck band 12 and thereforeextends beyond theedge of the neck band onto the body of the shirt ll.Due to the perspiration of the wearer and his normal body movements, thelapel 13 begins to wilt after a short period of use andtends to curloutwardly from its points 15 rearwardly along approximately the forwardone half of the collar. The rear portion of the lapel is held moretightly against the neck of the wearer and therefore does not lose itsfresh appearance. as rapidly.- Furthermore, since the rear portion ofthe collar is disposed along the back of the .neck and is frequentlycovered by a jacket its appearance is not as important as is the forwardportion of the collar which is visible when facing the wearer. Thepresent invention therefore provides a pair of stiffener membersgenerally identified by the reference numeral 20,- One of which is shownin FIG- URE 3. Each'stiffener member 20 extends'from' one end of thecollar rearwardly along approximately 25 percent of the length of thecollar so that the entirefor Ward one half of the collar is firmlysupported by the stiffener members 20 which serve to prevent thewrinkling of the collar and overcome its tendency to curl outwardlywhile at the same time holding it fiat against the neck band 12 and bodyof the shirt 11.

Shirt collars are conventionally constructed of two plies of cloth 21and 22 as clearly shown in FIGURE 2 with the inner ply 21 serving as alining for the outer ply 22. The view in FIGURE 2 illustrates the innerply or lining side of the collar but the lining has been shown brokenaway to reveal the outer ply of cloth which is exposed to view when thecollar is worn. The two plies of cloth 21 and 22 are sewed together bystitching 23 that extends along the entire edge of the collar therebeing no stitching at the juncture of the neck band with the lapel sothat the area between the edges of the collar is free of any stitching.This fact is taken advantage of in the present invention by arrangingthe stiffener member 20 so that it occupies the neck band 12 as well asthe lapel 13 of the collar between the two plies of cloth 21 and 22 sothat it is itself very firmly supported by the collar and will functionvery efliciently to maintain the neat appearance of the collar.

In order to provide access for the stiffener member 20, the inner ply ofcloth or lining 21 is cut to form a slit 25 along the crease 14 andwhich extends from a point adjacent to each extremity of the crease 14rearwardly along approximately 25 percent of the length of the collar.The stiifener member 20 includes a neck band portion 26 and a lapelportion 27 in conformance with the construction of the collar. Thestifi'ener member 20 is fabricated of a semi-rigid but pliable materialsuch as, for example, Celluloid or other suitable plastic material sothat it will maintain its shape under all conditions to which it will besubjected in normal use but will readily assume an arcuate shape alongits length in accordance with the path of the collar While being wornaround the neck of the wearer.

In order to place the stiffener member 20 in position between the twoplies of cloth 21 and 22 of the collar, it is inserted between the twoplies of cloth through the slit 25 with the neck band portion 26 of thestiffener member 20 occupying the space along the neck band 12 and thelapel portio 27 of the stiffener member 20 occupying the space along thelapel portion 13 of the collar. It will be observed in the drawings thatthe width of both ends of the lapel portion 13 are increased to form thepoints and the lapel portion 27 of each of the stiffener members isshaped accordingly to form a point 28. The stiifener member 20 istherefore inserted into the collar so that the point 28 of its lapelportion 27 will extend forwardly into the collar against the stitching23 at the point 15 of the lapel 13 of the collar. From the point 28 thelapel portion 27 of the stiffener member 20 it is gradually reduced inwidth to conform to the configuration of the lapel portion 13 of thecollar so that its outer edge will lie along the stitching 23 and itsinner edge will extend along the crease 14. Furthermore, each of thestiffener members 20 extends rearwardly from the extremity of the collarat the point 15 along approximately twenty five percent of its length tooccupy the entire area of the forward one half of the lapel 13 to firmlysupport it.

The stiffener member 20 is folded along a crease 35 that is formed alongthe juncture of the neck band portion 26 and the lapel portion 27 withbreaks 36 being provided at both ends of the crease 35 to facilitate theinsertion of the stiffener member 20 between the two plies of cloth 21and 22. The lapel portion 27 may therefore be folded downwardly to lieagainst the neck band portion 26 and the material of the stiffenermember 20 is preferably stressed along the crease 35 by heat to form aspring effect which tends to urge the lapel portion 27 against the neckband portion 26. With this arrangement, the neck band portion 26 will befirmly supported within the neck band 12 of the collar and the lapelportion 27 will be urged toward the neck band portion 26 to retain itsassociated lapel 13 lying flat against the body of the shirt 11.

Since the lapel portion 27 of each stiffener member 20 occupies theentire area within the lapel 13 of the collar from the stitching 23 tothe crease 14 and extends rearwardly approximately twenty five percentof the length of the lapel 13 it will not permit the forward portion ofthe lapel 13 to wilt or curl and the outer ply 22 of cloth will notoutline the stiffener member 20 so that its presence will not benoticeable. Furthermore, the spring eff-r t tending to urge the lapelportion 27 of the stiffener member 23 to lie flat against the neck bandportion 26 will serve to maintain the lapel 13 of the collar lying flatagainst the body of the shirt 11. Thus, the neat and fresh appearance ofthe collar will be maintained even under prolonged and severe conditionsof use with the perspiration and normal bodily movements having noeffect on its appearance. The stiffener member 20 may be readily removedthrough the slit 25 for laundering purposes and may be convenientlyreinserted when the shirt is ready to be worn. It will be noticed thatno special pockets are required to be added to the conventional collar,it only being necessary to modify the collar by forming the slit 25 toprovide an access for the stiffener member 29. The stiffener member 20cannot slide backwardly in the collar because its point 28 occupies thepoint 15 of the lapel 13 cf the collar and therefore cannot moverearwardly toward the narrower width of the lapel 13.

Although the illustrative embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed in considerable detail for the purpose of making a fulldisclosure of a practical operative arrangement by means of which theinvention may be practiced, it is to be understood that the variousnovel features of the invention may be incorporated in otherarrangements without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the subjoined claim.

The principles of the invention having now been fully explained inconnection with the foregoing description of the illustrativeembodiments, the invention is hereby claimed as follows:

In a shirt collar formed of cloth and having a neck band and a lapelwith the lapel being folded over the neck band to form a crease at thejuncture of the neck band with the lapel, the lapel being widened at itsends to form a decorative corner; a lining attached to the cloth of thecollar by stitching along the edges of the collar and being creased inconformance with the crease in the cloth of the collar, said lininghaving a slit formed along its crease at both ends of the collar; a pairof stiffener members adapted to be inserted through the slits to bedisposed between said lining and the cloth of the collar with onestiffener member being located at each end of the collar, each of saidstiffener members comprising; a neck band portion conforming in heightand shape to the configuration of the neck band of the collar andadapted to be located along the neck band of the collar between saidlining and the collar cloth; and a lapel portion attached to said neckband portion along the central portion of their juncture, the endportions of the lapel and neck band portions being disconnected, withthe lapel portion being folded downwardly along a crease formed at thejuncture of said neck band portion with said lapel portion, the lengthof the juncture between the lapel and neck band portions being less thanthe length of the slit in the lining to facilitate the insertion andremoval of the stiffener from the collar, said lapel portion having awidened end to form a corner in conformance with the configuration ofthe lapel corner and extending from the end of the collar rearwardlyalong the front of the collar to a point near the side of the collar.

(References on following page) References Cited in Ihfi file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gould Feb. 20, 1900 Gould July 17, 1900Renihan Apr. 24, 1917 6 Salerno Apr. 19, 1921 Gross Jan. 17, 1922 KassMar. 8, 1938 Tos July 11, 1939 Les Feb. 26, 1952

